Local Student Brings History to Life with Original Play on Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

Seventeen-year-old Juliana Centracchio of Seekonk, Massachusetts is making her debut as both playwright and director with a new original production that explores a tragic and transformative event in the United States labor history: the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Debuting on October 16 at 7 PM at Seekonk High School, the South of 14th Street play dramatizes the famous fire and the ensuing movement for workers’ rights.

In New York City on March 25, 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire claimed the lives of 146 garment workers, many of whom were young immigrant women. Locked doors, blocked exits, flammable fabrics, and inadequate escapes transformed a spark into a deadly inferno in just 18 minutes. The tragedy catalyzed sweeping reforms in workplace safety, including the now-familiar fire codes, building regulations, and labor protections.

Juliana’s interest in the topic stems from a passion for women’s rights and historical storytelling. “It’s really a story about the underdog,” she explains. “I wanted to write a play that centered on women and their fight for justice. The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was the perfect example.”

Grounded in reality, South of 14th Street is a work of historical fiction, blending real-life figures such as factory owners Max Blanck and Isaac Harris, and labor activists Clara Lemlich and Mary Dreier. The story tells of the garment workers’ struggles to actualize safer working conditions ahead of the blaze and carries the viewer through the events leading up to, and after, the famous fire. South of 14th Street will entertain, but also educate audiences, about the importance of labor rights and the legacy of immigrant women in shaping history.

“These women were fighting back against oppression and demanding better conditions. Their voices mattered, even if they weren’t heard in time to save their lives, these women transformed the lives of so many, and I want their story to be known,” said Juliana.

While Juliana may be a new playwright, she is a lifelong reader and writer. Her dive into playwriting from novels began in March 2025, after the school musical wrapped. She spent a month researching and drafting, then quickly revised the script after realizing it needed more heart and less exposition. Auditions were held in early June 2025, and the cast now includes around 16 students from Seekonk schools.

“I’ve learned so much,” she says. “As a novelist, I’m used to controlling every detail. But directing a play means letting go—actors bring their own interpretations, and sometimes it’s better than what I imagined because it brings this important story to life in new ways.”

South of 14th Street is entirely student-run and supported by school educators and through donations through the newly formed Seekonk High School Theater Booster Club.

South of 14th Street tickets are available for purchase at the door with cash or card for each show:
• Thursday, October 16 at 7 PM
• Saturday, October 18 at 7 PM
• Sunday, October 19 at 2 PM

After the premiere, Juliana plans to continue writing and directing. She’s enrolled in a performance-based class next semester and hopes to develop another original play. “I want to do this forever,” she says. “Writing is my passion, and I’m just getting started.”

Cast members and their graduation year from Seekonk High School: Izzie Almeida – 2027 Lily Boudreau-Faria – 2027 Abigail Braga – 2029 Mila Centracchio – 2035 [playwright and director's youngest sibling, attends Mildred H. Aitken School in Seekonk] Allexia Decarvalho – 2027 Avery Devane – 2028 Bailey Gendreau – 2027 Max Harper – 2026 Maeve Keenaghan – 2028 Kendalyn Lapointe – 2027 Vincent Lastrina – 2027 Sadie Liddell – 2029 Dylan Martel – 2028 Zoe Osmanski – 2027 Olivia Sirois – 2029 Charlie Sluter – 2029 Beatrix Sluzewski – 2028